Potter Park Bids Farewell to Young Tigers Born at the Zoo

Potter
Park Bids Farewell to Young Tigers

Born
at the Zoo

Two of the three females moved to South Dakota

LANSING, MI --- Kira and Savelii, two of the three Amur
tigers born at Potter Park Zoo in 2011, moved to the Bramble Park Zoo in Watertown,
South Dakota today. Their sister Ameliya, father Sivaki and mother Nika remain
in Lansing.

“It has been a
privilege to work with these rare animals and get to know their distinct
personalities and behavior,” said Dr. Tara Harrison, Director of Animal Health
at Potter Park Zoo. “We are proud to be playing an active role in the
preservation of Amur tigers.”

Keepers Jan
Brigham, Annie Marcum, and Kelly Cowley and many on zoo staff have been
instrumental in raising the three young tigers. They were hand reared due to
health issues that developed shortly after they were born. They have also
received extensive training from keepers Jake Brodie and Kelly Cowley to help
them learn the routine at the zoo and other husbandry related behaviors.

The 2011 cubs
received international attention via the Potter Park Zoo website’s tiger cam
and the world was able to watch them grow up. They now each weigh more than 200
lbs. and are nearing the age where tigers are usually separated. Amur tigers in
the wild are solitary animals and do not remain in groups during their adult
lives.

“Kira and Savelii
were selected to leave together because they have the strongest relationship of
the three tigers and have the highest likelihood of being able to stay
together,” said Keeper Jan Brigham. “But even they may eventually choose to be
separated.”

Amur tigers are
native to the Amur-Ussuri region of Siberia along the coast of Russia. They are
critically endangered due to poaching and habitat destruction with only an
estimated 400-500 remaining in the wild.

Potter Park Zoo has
worked to assist in the survival of this species by participating in the Amur
Tiger Species Survival Plan (SSP) of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The
Amur Tiger SSP develops annual breeding and transfer plans and the move of the
two young females to Bramble Park Zoo was one of those recommendations.

###

Potter
Park Zoo is located at 1301 S. Pennsylvania Ave. within Potter Park along the
Red Cedar River in Lansing, Michigan.
The zoo is open daily year-round, winter hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For
more information, call (517) 483-4222 or visit www.potterparkzoo.org.

Quick Fact

Did You Know?

Magellanic penguins are named after Ferdinand Magellan who first discovered them in 1519.

"We always loved taking the kids to PPZ, now that they are grown they are taking their children!"

- Kim S, North Carolina

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